Raúl Malo At Grand Ole Opry

Raúl Malo is a Cuban-American born in Miami who is most well-known as the lead singer of The Mavericks. His musical interests started in high school when he learned to play the bass guitar and began playing in small bands. In 1987, at age 22, he recorded his first song, “Paperheart,” which appeared on a promotional album.

In the 1980s, he decided to form a country band with an acquaintance he met at a record store, Robert Reynolds. The group started out by playing their own material in alternative rock clubs in the Miami area. In 1991, they released their self-titled debut album, for which Malo wrote all the material. Later that year, the band signed a contract with MCA Nashville and released From Hell to Paradise. Their third album What A Crying Shame brought the band their first Top 40 Country hits, “O What A Thrill,” “There Goes My Heart,” and “I Should Have Been True.” From this point the band, under Malo’s instruction as the lead singer, went on to release more than 20 Top Country Singles and win a Grammy Award, two Country Music Association Awards, and three Academy of Country Music Awards.

When the band split up in 2003, Malo decided to try his luck as a solo act. He proceeded to release six studio albums with his most recent album, Sinners and Saints, topping off at No. 7 on the Top Heatseekers Albums Chart. His singles include, “I Said I Love You,” “Today,” “Feels Like Home,” “Lucky One,” and “Moonlight Kiss.”

In October 2011, The Mavericks announced their reunion plans. What started out as a reunion tour turned into all of the band members signing a new contract with Big Machine Records and before they knew it, they were releasing an extended play, Suited Up, with the full-length album In Time that came out in January 2013.